By Kira Stussy, Tumwater High School intern to ThurstonTalk
Making Education Count: Creating Bright Futures Through Literacy and Leadership
The statement above is the profound platform of Miss Thurston County’s Outstanding Teen 2014, Madeline Seaman. Madeline is a junior at Tumwater High School, but she is no ordinary teenager. As part of the Miss Washington’s Outstanding Teen Program and in support of her platform, she volunteers in various ways to help kids in the community see the beauty in reading and writing. Madeline believes that “becoming ‘what they want to be when they grow up’ doesn’t start in high school or college, it starts in elementary school.”
By encouraging students to follow their dreams and pursue their life goals, projects such as “Bedtime Stories for the President” were created. “Bedtime Stories for the President” was the literacy project Madeline offered for elementary aged kids to participate in last year. Students from several elementary schools submitted original stories. A selection of these stories were collected and bound together into a book and then sent to President Obama. “Last year, over one hundred students in grades three through six participated in the project and around forty stories were selected to be in the book,” says Seaman. These books were also sold and helped raise “over four hundred dollars for Children’s Miracle Network,” she shares.
This year, Madeline’s literacy project is called “Write Your Future: Living Your Dream After Graduation.” This project asks students to write an original story that places themselves in the future, living the dream they wish to pursue. Other ways Madeline contributes to the community are as a personal tutor, hosting book drives, and reading to children at Barnes and Noble.
As Miss Thurston County’s Outstanding Teen, Madeline will participate in the Miss Washington’s Outstanding Teen Program in May. “The scholarship organization is dedicated to helping girls ages 13-17 become exceptional young women in their communities,” Seaman explains. She goes on to share some of the life-long skills the program helps to provide young women, including “communication, education, health and fitness, volunteerism and community involvement.”
Different aspects of the program include an interview, a performed talent, and high scholastic achievement. “Overall, the program allows young women to build self-esteem and recognize individual accomplishments,” Seaman states, “while preparing them for a positive future as confident women leaders in their communities.”
When asked what, in her opinion, is the best part of the program she responded, “Meeting and having friendships with girls from all across the state.” She also identifies being able to perform her talent, singing, on stage as something she enjoys most. Additionally, she is grateful for all the business and public relations skills she has acquired by participating in the program.
A huge component of the program is that each “Miss” must create their own platform: a statement that shows their passion and how they can channel that passion into a way to help the community. As mentioned above, Seaman’s platform is “Making Education Count: Creating Bright Futures Through Literacy and Leadership.” She created this platform due to her love for literacy – reading and writing are her passions.
She says that thanks to writing and literature, she has been “motivated throughout her life” and she wants her platform “to be focused on helping students find their passions and motivation.” She believes that when students are motivated and passionate about something they are more likely to graduate high school and move on to successful and happy lives.
Madeline Seaman’s main goal is to “motivate and encourage elementary school students to start working towards their dreams.” And with all of her hard work and extra hours (in addition to her AP classes and ASB Secretary responsibilities), she is accomplishing this goal by pursuing and sharing her passion, while helping the younger members of our community do the same.
